There Are Some Things That Just Can't Be Undone
by Anakin T Skywalker
Summary: A very sad Revenge of the Sith AU. Anakin has stopped Order 66 and turned himself in to the Jedi. What will they do with him?


**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. At all.**

Warning: This is very, very, very, sad and depressing. Do not read it if you want to feel happy. This is based on a universe in which Anakin turns to the Dark Side, rampages the Temple, then is stricken with remorse while reporting to Sidious and kills him. He uses the force and his mechanical skills to stop Order 66 and turns himself in to Obi-wan Kenobi and the rest of the Jedi Council, who are much more stuck to tradition than we are used to. Several Jedi Masters survive, notably Mace Windu, who is not killed by the lightning and is somehow rescued from his fall. (I don't tell this story here, because it really doesn't match the tone of the rest of this story at all. I may write it into another story sometime, though.)

Also, this may have a short sequel (much less sad, probably). If you are interested, review! Or just review in general. But no flames, please – I'm already sad enough from writing this!

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Anakin stood before the Jedi Council, his head bowed in shame, tears of remorse still streaking his face. Obi-wan stood next to him, pleading his case. He had done everything he could for Anakin, attempting to attribute Anakin's actions to temporary insanity, or to the onset of the brief but severe illness that had nearly eliminated the need for this trial. Anakin himself had objected each time, knowing within himself that he must, as always, be perfectly honest. There was no excuse for his wrongdoing except base selfishness; his illness and any "insanity" were consequences of his deeds, not the other way around.

Now Obi-wan was coming to the end of his defense.

"He turned himself in! He handed over his lightsaber and surrendered willingly! He has repented of his deeds!"

"There is no return from the dark way of the Sith. Once started down the dark path he has, forever dominate his destiny it will." Yoda didn't give a millimeter.

"But I know he has turned back! I know he is trustworthy – I gave him back his lightsaber! He had every opportunity to kill me and free himself – yet he did not!"

"He could easily be simply biding his time," said Plo Koon, one of the few Jedi Council Members who had escaped Order 66.

"What time? Pal – Sidious is dead! Anakin himself killed him!"

"That is the way of the Sith – to destroy their masters and so become Masters themselves," Ki-Adi-Mundi stated grimly.

"Then why did he stop Order 66? It doesn't make sense! Masters, Anakin has done the galaxy a great service! He has destroyed the Sith, as the prophecy foretold!"

"That does not excuse _Vader's _actions immediately prior to these services. The fact that he killed Sidious will not bring back the innocent younglings he so senselessly murdered, the Jedi he betrayed and cut down here in these very halls." This statement came from Stass Allie; her eyes were cold, chilled and dead because of the many whom she could never heal. "There are some things that just cannot be undone."

To a non-Jedi, the Council members would have seemed to fall silent for a moment, but Anakin and Obi-wan could hear the busy, murmured exchange of thoughts. Neither could understand what the thoughts were, but each could sense their presence and the general tone they carried.

Finally, Mace Windu, only recently deemed well enough to leave the care of the few remaining Healers, his right arm replaced by a metal one ever so similar to Anakin's, spoke.

"The Council has reached a decision. Anakin Skywalker, step forward to receive your sentence."

Anakin obeyed, bowing before the assembled Masters, then turning his attention to Master Windu. He waited, not without dread, but as calm and composed as anyone in the room had ever seen him.

"Anakin Skywalker, you are hereby cast from the Jedi Order forever, and are sentenced to death by the Old Way. Tomorrow at this time of 16 standard hours, 25 standard minutes, you must be put to death by lightsaber in this room. Your executioner must be the Master who trained you, in this case one Obi-wan Kenobi."

Obi-wan's face contorted in grief, shock, and horror.

Anakin burst out of his bubble of calm. "What? That's outrageous, you can't do that!"

"You agreed to accept whatever sentence we chose," Master Windu stated sternly.

"For myself, yes! I accept your sentence of death! But do not make Obi-wan my executioner! He is not to blame for my misdeeds; I alone am to blame! Do not, I beg of you" – he fell to his knees, pleading, almost weeping, "do not punish Obi-wan for my wrongdoing! He does not deserve this heartache added to all the others I have brought upon him!"

"It is the Old Way," Mace replied coolly. "Our sentence stands."

True silence reigned in the Council chamber; not even a whisper crossed through the Force.

Finally Anakin nodded his head once, then rose to his feet, bitter, bitter tears streaming down his cheeks. Indeed, some things just could not be undone.

Mace Windu waited a moment longer, then continued. "In thanks for the service you have done for the Jedi Order, the Republic, and the galaxy as a whole, the Jedi Order will see to it that your wife and children are cared for. She may raise them alone, if she so chooses, or if she finds herself unequal to the task, they shall be accepted into the Jedi Order and trained as Knights. You will remain in the custody of your former Master, Obi-wan Kenobi, until this time tomorrow. With him, you may go wherever you choose, but you must both return to this chamber by 1600 hours tomorrow. If either of you attempt to escape, you will be hunted down and captured, and both shall be sentenced to death. Is this understood by both parties concerned?"

Anakin and Obi-wan each nodded, slowly, sorrowfully.

"Then this meeting is adjourned."

Anakin and Obi-wan walked from the Council chamber in shock over what had just happened. Anakin was to be put to death, by the cruelest means imaginable for both Master and former student. How could the Jedi come to a decision like this?

But there was no time to wonder; Anakin had less than twenty-four hours to say goodbye to all he had loved in this life. He wept because he could not return and visit his mother's grave; the trip to Tatooine and back was too long for them to make in that time.

They walked side-by-side through the halls of the Temple, each shedding silent tears as they visited Anakin's favorite haunts, knowing with each one that it would be the last time he set foot there.

They went to Anakin's room, where Obi-wan sat in the one chair as Anakin carefully straightened what few belongings he had and set the room in order.

Obi-wan, watching Anakin, suddenly smiled slightly through his tears. "How come you never did that when I asked you to?" he said, his voice thick with emotion.

They both laughed, somewhat hysterically; then Anakin sat on the bed and Obi-wan left the chair and came and sat beside him, and they sat in silence for a few minutes.

Then, as if by mutual agreement, they rose and went to the hangar, where they climbed into Anakin's speeder and flew off into the approaching dusk. Anakin piloted, and he flew calmly and smoothly at first. Then, slowly, he increased the speed and began to work in sharp turns, flips and dives, going through every maneuver he knew of, even some that weren't intended to be performed in a speeder. Obi-wan didn't complain once.

Finally, Anakin landed the speeder on Padmé's private landing pad, and the two of them disembarked. They were greeted by C-3PO, who looked as worried as a droid could look.

"Oh, dear, Master Anakin and Master Kenobi… perhaps you should step inside for a moment. There is something I believe you should see…"

Padmé sat at her desk before a holoprojector, above which Mace Windu's image hovered. She was crying.

She turned as the hologram faded to see them there, and ran into Anakin's arms.

"Oh, Ani," she sobbed, and they clung to each other, sobbing into each other's shoulders while Obi-wan stood to the side and wept for them.

Together, they wept for the love they were about to lose, the children they would never have, the years of watching their children grow and raising them lovingly together, the growing old together that could now never be.

When their tears were spent, Obi-wan finally spoke. "I am so, so sorry," was all he said; but it was enough.

Then Padmé led them into the babies' room, where the two infants, barely a month old, lay sleeping. She woke them and handed one to Anakin, and, carrying the other herself, walked back into the main room. Anakin held each child, admiring the tiny, perfect fingers and toes, his son's sleepy blue eyes, and his daughter's wide ones, which would someday be brown like her mother's. He caressed them and cuddled them and talked to them.

"You won't remember me," he said, his voice quavering. "But that's probably just as well. I'm so sorry I won't be able to watch you grow, but I want you to always know how much I loved you and your mommy – how much I will always love you, and how proud I am of you." He pressed the infants to his heart, and tears flowed down his cheeks once more.

Obi-wan mostly watched, his heart full, as his former Padawan and dear friend said goodbye to the children he had barely gotten to know. The parents were gracious enough to give him a chance to hold each child, and that warmed his spirit, so chilled by the pall of the approaching death of a most important person in all of their lives; but he was brief, knowing that Anakin and Padmé needed every last moment they could have together with their children.

Inevitably, however, the babies grew hungry and had to be cared for, after which they fell back asleep. Anakin and Padmé laid them gently down in their cribs, then turned slowly away and walked toward their own bedroom.

"Obi-wan," said Padmé, awkwardly but pleadingly, "will you watch over them for us?"

Obi-wan nodded, and turned back to regard the peacefully sleeping infants.

When Anakin and Padmé emerged from the bedroom, it was nearly 700 hours. Anakin knew it was time to go, and he prepared to say his final goodbyes. He gently, tenderly kissed each of his sleeping children, his tears falling on their tiny, soft faces without waking them. Then he, Padmé, and Obi-wan went back into the main reception room. C-3PO and R2-D2 were there, and Anakin took a moment for each of them.

"Artoo, you take good care of her and my babies, okay?" he sniffled. The astromech replied with an affirming but distinctly sad series of bleeps and whistles. Anakin nodded, then turned to C-3PO, remembering the time spent as a young child, building him. He wept again with the memory of those days and the love of his mother. Through his tears, he managed, "You help, too, Threepio. Make sure they never want for anything, and help Artoo keep them safe."

"I will never let our children fall into the hands of the Jedi," said Padmé with sudden vehemence. "I don't want them to be a part of any organization in which they do things like what they are doing to you, Anakin, and through you, to Obi-wan. I don't condone what you've done, but to take you from your wife and children when you've so obviously completely repented, and to do so by your Master's hand, is absolutely despicable."

Obi-wan nodded. "I quite agree. Do not send your children to us if you can help it, Padmé. Find someone else you trust to take them if you find yourself unable to care for them. I will try, one last time, to change their minds; if I fail, I myself will leave the Order for good. I also want no part of such cruelty."

Anakin nodded, and it was settled.

Then he embraced Padmé again, holding her close in his arms. "Oh, Padmé, I'm so sorry for what I've done! If only I could undo it all! Padmé, can you ever forgive me for ruining our lives, and those of our children? For all of the terrible, terrible things I've done, for the lives I've taken, for those I've injured?" he sobbed in agony.

"Oh, my Ani! Of course I forgive you! I forgave you long ago."

Obi-wan came close and laid his hands on the backs of the weeping couple, while the tears he thought he'd run out of poured from his eyes.

Then they released each other, and Anakin, still sobbing, said, "Goodbye, my love! May you someday find happiness, even in this grief, and may the force be with you and our children!"

With that, Obi-wan put his arm around Anakin's shoulders and led him to the speeder. Obi-wan drove them back to the Temple; Anakin was crying too hard.

When they reached the Temple, Obi-wan asked if Anakin needed to sleep after having been up all night.

"Sleep?" said Anakin incredulously. "In a few hours, Master, I will be able to get all the sleep I could ever need."

Obi-wan nodded, his heart twisting painfully, and led Anakin to a private meditation room instead. Once he felt Anakin was settled inside, he found one of his own and sat down to prepare himself. After a few hours had passed, he went and joined Anakin in his meditation room, and they meditated side by side, for another two hours, each feeling the other's terrible agony.

They both came out of their trances at 1200 hours. Then they stared in silence at one another for another long moment. Suddenly, Anakin flew across the room to Obi-wan's feet, crying, "Oh, Master!" He knelt before Obi-wan, and begged forgiveness for his horrible deeds, for the way he had disregarded Obi-wan's instructions, for not appreciating Obi-wan's training as he should have, and for landing them both in this terrible situation.

"As it is with Padmé, so it is with me," said Obi-wan, the tears glistening in his eyes. "I forgave you long ago." They embraced, both weeping into the shoulders of each other's robes.

"Oh, Anakin, you were like my brother! How can I go on without you? How can I do this dreadful thing they ask of me?"

For each knew within his heart that there would be no changing the mind of the council; Anakin would die this day, and it would have to be by Obi-wan's hand.

For a moment, they only wept; then Anakin lifted his head, his eyes rimmed with red and swimming in tears, but still shining clear and blue.

"Trust the Force, Master," he said in a powerful, if tear-choked, voice. "Follow its lead; it will not fail you."

Obi-wan patted Anakin on the back, and they both embraced heartily one more time.

Then they began their dreadful, doomed walk to the Council chamber.

Halfway there, Obi-wan whispered in awe, "Are you frightened?"

In the same hushed, awed tone. "Only a little. Strangely enough, the only thing that concerns me is whether or not it will hurt. I mean, after that, it's just… nothing… right? I'm just… done?"

"That is what we Jedi theorize; we believe you simply become a part of the Force. However, you and I have both heard Qui-gon speak from beyond the burning, and I think we are not the only ones who have. Unless it is simply our imaginations or the Force taking on a familiar form, I would say that theory is pretty much disproved. In short, we don't really know."

Anakin was silent. Obi-wan was as well. Somehow, there was something awesome and terrible about being in the presence of a man who was going to die in half an hour. Suddenly, with time running out, all the things they wanted to say to each other flew from their minds; they didn't really matter anymore. All that mattered was that they had loved each other, and that could be expressed only by one sentence: "You were my brother. I loved you." Over and over, each sent the thought to the other's mind.

Obi-wan felt Anakin's tremendous power in the Force, and shuddered at the thought that that connection was about to be intentionally severed by those who had nurtured it. No, not severed; only changed, so that the still living could no longer sense it. The though of life without Anakin brought still more tears to his eyes. He did not allow himself to think about the fact that he would be the one who "changed" the connection; that was simply unbearable, too dark to be dealt with.

And then they stood before the doors of the Council chamber. They paused for a long, dreadful moment, then went in. The Masters were assembled once again, looking sterner and more heartless than ever before. The glow lamps were on, and the huge windows had been hung with black curtains, but they were not drawn.

Anakin was tormented with guilt, remorse, regret over what he would leave behind, and fear of what lay ahead in the unknown realm beyond death.

Obi-wan was wretched with the knowledge that, in only a few minutes, he would be forced to end his beloved former Padawan's life.

Master Windu greeted them in the same cold, stoic voice he had used the day before to read Anakin his sentence. He then re-read the penalty – as if they could possibly have forgotten it! – and asked Anakin if he had anything he wished to say.

"Only this: that I am so deeply sorry for my terrible crimes, and sorry for the damage I have inflicted in the lives of individuals, in the Jedi Order, and thereby in the Republic and in the galaxy. Also, I plead, one last time, that you spare my Master this trial, and name someone else my executioner. Please, show some compassion, for his sake if not for mine."

The Council was unmoved. "Is that all you have to say?" said Master Windu.

There was no response.

"Then it is time."

Ki-Adi-Mundi used the Fore to draw shut the enormous black drapes, creating a sort of twilight in the room.

"Anakin Skywalker, present to Obi-wan Kenobi your lightsaber."

Anakin turned, removed it from his belt, knelt, and, after one final loving glance at it, bowed his head and held it up to his former Master with both hands. Obi-wan took it in his own trembling hand.

"Rise, Skywalker," commanded Master Windu grimly.

Ki-Adi-Mundi and Plo Koon stepped forward. They instructed Anakin to loosen his belt; he obeyed, and they pulled back his tunic, baring his chest. Then they turned him so his back faced directly toward the council door and placed firm but gentle hands on his shoulders and behind his back – one on each side – to keep him from struggling and support him when he fell.

Anakin suddenly realized that all of the Masters were deeply grieved about his impending execution, but they felt that it was something that must be done, and must be done in this way, lest the traditions be violated and justice not be served.

And it was just, he concluded. He deserved to die for what he had done. Obi-wan simply did not deserve to have to be his executioner.

"Now, Kenobi, the time has come. You know what your task is. It is time to perform it. You must use Skywalker's lightsaber, and you alone can do this. It is the Old Way."

Anakin couldn't help wondering if they'd accidentally gotten the Sith code for executions instead of that of the Jedi; he couldn't believe that Jedi at any time could be so unspeakably cruel.

Obi-wan begged, one final time, to be let off. "Please do not ask this of me. Do not make me do this dreadful thing!" he cried desperately.

"It is the Old Way," was all Master Windu said.

Obi-wan turned to face Anakin, his chest heaving with emotion. He stood, stock still, holding Anakin's lightsaber unignited in his saber hand.

"It is your duty," urged Mace quietly, sorrow evident even in his tone. "Do what you must do."

Obi-wan's face contorted with anguish, and he ignited the lightsaber, stepped toward Anakin, and then switched it off again and embraced him.

"I cannot do this," he sobbed, "I cannot!"

Anakin's blue eyes were filled with tears as well, windows into the agony of his soul; but he was strangely, eerily quiet. He reached out a hand to Obi-wan.

"Steady, Master," he said softly. "Trust the Force."

Obi-wan pulled away from him.

"I loved you," he said, utterly broken. "Goodbye, my dear friend, my student, my son, my brother."

He reached out toward Anakin, who reached out to him, and their hands touched, then clasped.

"I loved you," replied Anakin, broken as well. "Goodbye, my dear friend, my Master, my father, my brother."

"Don't be afraid,' said Obi-wan, illogically enough. He was weeping openly.

Anakin shut his eyes so he would not see the blade come toward him. His last thought was of his mother, his Master, his wife and his children all together, happy, smiling.

Obi-wan knew exactly where to place the blade so Anakin would feel the least pain. Still holding Anakin's hand, he shut his eyes and used the Force to guide the lightsaber through his dear brother's heart.

At the same time, he felt a pain in his own heart, but he knew it was grief as he felt Anakin's spirit leave his body.

He didn't want to open his eyes ever again, but he forced himself to. He saw Anakin, blue eyes forever closed, relax and give a shuddering sigh…

And then he disappeared. His clothes fell empty to the floor from the hands of a shocked Ki-Adi-Mundi and Plo Koon. Obi-wan stood silently for a moment; then he whispered,

"May you be with the Force, my friend."

He de-ignited Anakin's lightsaber, then picked up his clothing off the floor of the Council chamber and simply walked away.

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At the moment of Anakin's death, Padmé felt the pain in her heart and knew he was gone. At the same time, both of her precious babies started crying inconsolably. She felt weak and uncertain about what else to do, so she wept along with them, grieving for her lost husband.

After an hour of this, she felt a prickle of what had to be the Force. She instructed Artoo and Threepio to pack the babies' things and the codes to her apartment, then checked to see that the japor snippet Ani had carved for her all those years ago was safely around her neck. Then she quickly found a sheet of flimsi and wrote something on it, and signed her name.

She sent a holomessage to Bail Organa, then brought her precious little ones out to the speeder and had Threepio drive them to Bail's apartment, with Artoo in tow.

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On the way back to his own room, Obi-wan felt the pain in his chest come back, then ebb away, then return. It continued on and off for several minutes.

Suddenly realizing what it was, he almost smiled. "I always knew you'd be the death of me," he said, wishing he knew for sure what was on the other side and hoping Anakin could hear him.

He felt another stab of pain, and quickly but reverently folded Anakin's clothing and placed it in a neat pile on the chair in his room. On top, he laid Anakin's lightsaber – then his own next to it. Then he walked over to his bed and lay down. "I'm sorry, Anakin. I'm afraid I won't be able to look after your wife and children."

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**A Holonet report…**

This morning, Senator Padmé Naberrie Amidala of Naboo was reported dead at the apartment home of Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan. It seems she developed a fatal brain fever around 1630 yesterday afternoon. She went to Bail for help, and he rushed her to the medcenter, but there was nothing the doctors could do for her. She is survived by her infant twins, Luke and Leia Amidala-Skywalker, her father, Ruwee Naberrie, her mother, Jobal Naberrie, her sister, Sola Janren, and two nieces, Ryoo and Pooja Janren. Her will states that her children are to be cared for by her family, with the Organas acting as godparents.

Also dead as of this morning is Jedi Master and Clone Wars General Obi-wan Kenobi. He was found in his room early this morning; doctors say it was likely a heart attack. It is being speculated that the Jedi's heart failed due to the stress inflicted upon him when he was forced by the Jedi Council to execute his former student, Anakin Skywalker, once known as "the Hero with No Fear," for high crimes against the Jedi Order.

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Many Jedi left the order after the events of that day, claiming that they could not be a part of an Order that enforces such antiquidated cruelty. Their deed also earned them the scorn of the entire republic. As a result, the Jedi began having much greater difficulty finding new recruits; their numbers quickly dwindled, and they soon, for all practical purposes, ceased to exist. The two Masters who lived longest, namely, Master Windu and Master Allie, often wished they had handled that day differently in hindsight; but, as someone so eloquently put it,

There are some things that just can't be undone.


End file.
